The Embassy of India in Monrovia hosted a reception at its Chancery to honor twenty Liberian scholars recently awarded the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) India-Africa Maitri Scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Ambassador of India H.E. Manoj Bihari Verma congratulated the recipients and highlighted the significance of the awards for Liberia's development.

According to Ambassador Verma, the number of ICCR scholarships for Liberia increased to twenty this year, with the Embassy receiving 219 applications--15 for PhD programmes, 114 for Master's degrees, and 90 for undergraduate studies.

Six Liberian scholars were selected for doctoral programmes under the ICCR initiative, coinciding with the launch of PhD programmes at the University of Liberia in 2025.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

The six doctoral candidates will study fields including public policy and governance, environmental engineering, geography, natural resource management, social work, political science, and history.

Fourteen others will pursue Master's degrees in areas such as renewable energy, geotechnical engineering, economics, development studies, ecology, pharmaceutical chemistry, applied geology, soil science, and international relations.

Recipients will attend institutions such as IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, IIT-ISM Dhanbad, University of Delhi, Delhi Technological University, Central University of Punjab, Nalanda University, University of Mizoram, National Forensic Sciences University, Savitribai Phule Pune University, and Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.

The institutions span diverse regions of India, providing students with exposure to various academic and cultural environments.

The selected fields of study align with Liberia's development priorities, according to Embassy officials.

All scholarships this year were awarded to Master's and PhD candidates, with officials expressing hope for future undergraduate opportunities.

Encouraging the scholars to make the most of their time in India, he urged them to excel academically while embracing India's diverse cultures and traditions.

"While you are in India, you will also serve as ambassadors of Liberia," he said. "Your conduct, dedication and achievements will strengthen the goodwill between our two countries and inspire future generations of Liberian students."

The Embassy pledged continued support for the students and encouraged their participation in the alumni network.

The Acting President of the Liberia Alumni of India Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (LAITP) also congratulated the recipients and emphasized the value of education in India for Liberian students.

Scholarship recipients expressed gratitude to the Governments of India and Liberia, pledging to pursue their studies diligently and contribute to Liberia's development upon return.

The reception concluded with informal interactions among guests over a selection of Indian refreshments, including the popular samosa and the traditional Indian dessert gulab jamun, giving many attendees an opportunity to enjoy a taste of Indian cuisine alongside an evening celebrating educational partnership and friendship.

The ICCR India-Africa Maitri Scholarship Programme is one of the Government of India's flagship initiatives for strengthening educational cooperation with Africa. Through fully funded scholarships, the programme enables African students to pursue higher education at leading Indian universities and institutions across a wide range of disciplines.

India and Liberia enjoy warm and friendly relations founded on shared democratic values, mutual respect and a longstanding commitment to development cooperation. Education remains one of the strongest pillars of this partnership, with an increasing number of Liberian students benefiting from scholarships and capacity-building opportunities in India each year.